New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-16
BOON TON.
TIE QUAINP Old NEW-JEnsEY eTTy-ON-A
uILi.-A MaNJFACrURiNr CENTRE TWO
CENT? RES Af:0-WAkiNG UP AFTER
LONG Si.U VI ~ R-WGNDER Ill
WATER P0WgR-P0INrS or PK0.
GRaSS-FEILCfTOIS FORESEE.
INtsS FOR THE rUKE

for becoming of the great of manufacturing
industry. There are many people who never heard
much ado 1t Boonton Tor it has quietly nestled among
its native hills without seeking notorsty aiming to
make stir in the world No artificial boom has been
forced for its town lots. No" additions such
ment many Western town have been mapped out
PAPER and extended with 0ctOpushkc branchings far
into the surrounding country. No pulling has been done
to give its real estate fictitious value What Boon ION
Is is real actual. solid.
BOonton stands hun red feet above the level Of the
sei u soil which Is hard. dry. rocky. ald so we'll
drained that no ghost Of nalaral influence has
arisen from it, Tie natural scenery in and around the
place is and enchanting panorama tho
most enthusiastic sisht-seer can desire to ENJOY. No
town occupies more picturesque site than Bocnton.
being the time most alvantage0usly located for
business and for residences II Is spread over two hills
and valley: the valley being chiefly devoted to fac
tories and founIrcs. On the rocky emnencc which
crown the eastern side OF the Rockaway River rises the
business part OF Boonon with its churches, stores.
hotels, schoolhouscs AMI public halls This part is taste-
fully laid contains dwellings which arc
the homes four THOUSAND people. The high land
the other sle OF the valley is Tail out ~ park for
residences Olmstcal AMI Vauy the engineers who gave
Central Park in NcwYork CITY its present shape male
this park the attractive place it Is No park in easy
reach of the city presents greater inducements for build
OF private resi- lences than this Boonton Park.
Among its delightful avenues AMI drives are many beau
tiul homes AMI there will be many more when Boonton
becomes better KNOWN Is ny
suburban homes the honor which il deserves
In the valley which lies between the business part OF
Boonton and the park the manufacturing industries
OF the place These are placed down here. not only In
the way OF general convenience but because they have
of the available ami immense
water powers in this section OF country 1t is MT gem
orally known that there exists within thirty miles OF
York such a power the lively and dashns
RocKaway River here affords True. there is vast
power at Paterson, not far od but the Paterson
power is all utizeI by factories an mills. while great
deal of the Boonton power is running to waste, and
might as well be harnesscl for active service. For all
such work as has beer done Paterson vile field OF
usefulness still stands open ut Bo)nton. The wonder is
that this whole c has not long before this timc been
taken possession or The industries which are now
busy buzzug along at Boonton are but small traction
OF what will be there before long The spirit OF
Industry is there AMI there are ample facilities for It's
development on "A gigantic scale.
Boonton has the honorable record OF having been Ia
manufacturing centre long before the Revolution 1t
certain beyond doubt that the earliest iron works in
the country established there As long as 1852
there was blast furnace together with some forges'
The iron ore was brought the backs OF horses
from the mines about dozen miles Westward These
mines are to-day worked on an extensive scale ana
supply the great iron works at Boonton with superior
magnetic ore But the is brought on horse
back In 1910 rolling mill AMI Sitting mill we're
erected here in spite of the prohbitory laws enacted by
the British Parliament II was the policy OF Great
Britain have iron manufactures in the Colonies
But the rugged nature Of the country around Boonion
primeval forests were sucn That
the OF iron could be car riel on IN the sa
scale which was then suflcrnt Inc wOrS was aole on
the sy ani in such manner rs tn DEFY the scrutiny or
the British detectives The ground purchased Tor INC
IRON works OF l71O was plot of six acres The price
| paI was one pound of tea. The plates which were
rolled I'm rolling mill slit into nail rods IN the
Sitting mill From these rods nails manufactured
by hand This slow business, but the nails were
well made and served taeir purpose -, t.. ,
! Roonc,own. IL originally called took Its name
from Thomas Boone who was "Yernor ot me bis
OF New ',tsey s''9 tb ycv and furnishes the water
power. Is called in remembrance OF the KocEawacK
alb imes gradually got out OF the way of cvuzaiIen
the last Rocsawark having padded his canoe o. "a
some other direction about sixty years ago The EOcK
| away pursues winding course ana tais INTO the
aac hn ,is ars no such other water power as that
which is formed by the dam and reservoir a Boonton
inclined planes on the Morris Canal fhs canal was.
bv the way. large part OF the making OF B"onton Inc
building the canal led TO the incorporation OF the New
Jersey Iron Company This COMPANY pnrchasei mI leu
Land at Boonton. and established the works when De
came famous AMI which are 10 iy w Dsg oic i ~.
These WORKS and the water power are now owned Nv
Goonton was not furnished With railway communica
ton 10 New.York until 1867 But now 1t is favorte
iary come their stores and Offices in the city Ihe
ride the rail occupies ust an hour ana carries INC
scenery that no traveller wants TO iall asleep soms
daily rides mean daS niances am Erton The
more tho Tackawanna Railroad furnishes luxurious
visit factory part OF Boonton IS worth the few
hours shows what he done. even I'D
these days az steam with such old fashioned and in
expensive power water In many places water power
has gone ot fashion because streams so oftcn run dry
in AMI break into uproarious RAMPAGE VI Seasons p
OF freshets. 1t is true that water power when .s
beauty OF this steady going old Tower at boono Is ts
it behaves itself with becoming reguanty tne year
And in the seasons the most otous freshets II IS
eooD or other Inconvenience to the mills factories
,,hich depend upon With such power as ts mall
MA tnrcrs are independent OF steam; ,,,..
Ava nm he
| ~ tne canal the Rockaway River is damned with
substantial uam which backs the water up forming
varying width. From this reservoir the suppy Is AL
that IL needed Ia furnish tho eluvacnt o' mi,y
thousand horse power The water is brought down %
ingenious In the iron wo"Ts tne ,nens ron~ fbs
fitted with all the appliances FOR he atls anu roS 'o
nnreh for this sort OF work One OF the great wafer
wheels which applies the power IS 'w n Ss; rhoos
diameter and eighteen feet face. The driving wheets
which IL carries fourteen feet IN diameter LUIS p?
wheel is OF the most Improved 1yersnnt piseuh hes
There are the iron works two other great wheeps OF
s,sy M WORK and there is hardly any limit the places
where more wheels can be put H. ,. -, ,,
Down In this busy valley there are variety oI muS
tries all active and prosperous There Is large agrl
cultural implement concern which turns OUT 'ast anu
varied supply OF appliances Tor tarm ipor III i
ton with this is extensive foundry Ihere are wv
large blast furnaces There Is large Grass n,
tity nails Then In the mmedate ,ss,S
are other factories. large and small covering variety
Of manufacturers The silk MILL which has been In opera
ton abou; eight years, gives steady employ uei' " M
|
Although the power does such lively business
in furnishing life for so many factories ana mills. on
small proportion of its energy utilized Ihcfe Is niY
Valley and kept in motion by thus power For years
R0onton has .akcn back seat owiag to the fact th ne
water power and the factory territory we're ownen W
great estate which had pecuniary motive tor push
Inc things" The estate is now influenced ny Tue pro-
errs,ye spirit OF the and is listening 70 the ne
nands of those who want eligible factory sites win
re,abe and inexpensive power. People are inqulring
ahant Roonton. and now hardly train passes there
ith"ut dropping somebody who goes to see what Is 10
DO seen concerning the place. the power anu 'e PROS
new partnership among the great rowcTs has been
fornlcd ami being put into praetca operaioha
Roouon Heretofore electricity has hal stcaL lori
nrncnal partner But steam Is quite expensive a. coin
rared with water the water power Is 10 prope tho
Electric dynamo Tho union is in every respect most
f,Iicous one There great many factories esre-
n,v those which require light amount ofpower, whose
wants are met by electricity Arrangements are now
heinr mad. which electric motors can be furnished